India Explores Geoengineering Pathways at High-Level NITI Aayog Workshop

NITI Aayog, in collaboration with the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) and the Centre for Social and Economic Progress (CSEP), convened a high-level workshop on “Indian and Global Perspectives on Geoengineering – Science, Governance and Risks” in New Delhi. The event brought together senior policymakers, scientists, and global experts to deliberate on the evolving field of climate geoengineering, its risks, and the governance mechanisms needed for such frontier technologies.

Understanding Geoengineering: Approaches and Challenges

Geoengineering refers to large-scale interventions in the Earth’s climate system to counter climate change by either reducing greenhouse gases (GHGs) or reflecting sunlight. Discussions focused on two principal approaches:

• Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR): Techniques such as biochar, enhanced rock weathering, ocean-based removals, and carbon capture with geological storage.

• Solar Radiation Management (SRM): Methods such as stratospheric aerosol injection or marine cloud brightening to reflect solar energy back into space.

Experts highlighted the scientific, economic, and governance dilemmas these approaches pose. Key concerns include durability of removals, storage integrity, monitoring and verification, environmental side-effects, and safeguards for vulnerable communities.

Leadership Voices from India

Opening the workshop, Shri B. V. R. Subrahmanyam, CEO of NITI Aayog, framed geoengineering within India’s broader energy and climate transition.

"India’s development journey is unprecedented — our economy is growing while pursuing a low-carbon path. Even as climate change impacts us severely, large emitters are not moving fast enough. Mitigation must remain the world’s priority, but India must also explore moonshot technologies that prepare us for future challenges," he said.

Dr Arunabha Ghosh, Founder-CEO of CEEW, called for global cooperation in governance. “India must decarbonise without deindustrialising. Geoengineering—with its planetary-scale impacts—requires international collaboration, with equity and climate justice at the centre of decision-making,” he stressed.

Dr Laveesh Bhandari, President and Senior Fellow, CSEP, emphasized the socio-economic stakes for India. “Geoengineering raises profound questions of science, sovereignty, and society. India must engage early, assess techno-economics, and design institutions to manage long-term risks—especially given our dependence on monsoons for water, agriculture, and livelihoods.”

Global Expertise and Thematic Sessions

The workshop also featured insights from Prof David Keith of the University of Chicago, one of the world’s leading researchers on solar geoengineering, alongside contributions from the Department of Science and Technology, CSIR, IIT Delhi, and IIT Roorkee.

Sessions examined:

• India’s emerging Carbon Dioxide Removal pathways, including opportunities for integrating CDR into industrial policy.

• The governance dilemmas of Solar Radiation Management, where transboundary risks demand international frameworks for research and deployment.

Key Takeaways

1. Mitigation and adaptation remain the priority—geoengineering cannot substitute emissions reduction.

2. India must invest strategically in research on geoengineering to avoid being a passive recipient of global decisions.

3. Robust governance frameworks are essential, including monitoring, reporting, and verification systems.

4. Ethical considerations—equity, transparency, and safeguarding vulnerable communities—must underpin all future geoengineering discourse.

Looking Ahead

The workshop underscored that as the world inches closer to climate tipping points, India cannot ignore frontier technologies. By engaging early in research, governance debates, and global partnerships, India positions itself not only as a climate leader but also as a nation prepared for the technological and ethical challenges of the future.

The SEEI-style institutional approach demonstrated in other sectors, participants noted, could also guide the development of transparent governance mechanisms for geoengineering.